


will I miss the final warning from the lie that I have lived?

by VolxdoSioda



Series: Whumptober 2018 (Complete) [15]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Background Rape/Non-con, Day 14 - Manhandled, Gen, Pre-Slash, Whumptober, mob boss!Dino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 14:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16389467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolxdoSioda/pseuds/VolxdoSioda
Summary: The headline went out two days ago, screamed in bold black ink.Crown Prince Assaulted.A group of ill-tempered hunters angry that the Prince stole one of their kills, apparently, and decided to put "the pretty little highness" in his place. They were strong enough, and many enough, to stop the three retainers from coming to Noctis' aid.Dino read the headline, and he hasn't stopped since red since then.The Ghiranze famiglia might be underground, but that don't mean shit where Dino's concerned. Hismadrehas let him run from his blood - let him quietly roam until he feels the calling in him, ready for him to seat himself.Now though, Dino is ready. Which is why he's here, dressed not in his casual garb, but in the clothing of the Ghiranze famiglia. Dino is going to bend knee to the Prince, who has in turn already bent knee to his people.And then, Dino is going to reach out with hisconsiderable power, and rip those vermin that touched what washisoff theface of fucking Eos.





	will I miss the final warning from the lie that I have lived?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adel Mortescryche (Mortescryche)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortescryche/gifts).



> This was born out of Adel's ramblings about Dino/Noctis, and then talks of an au where Dino is a mob boss started, and it rolled downhill from there.
> 
> She is a terrible enabler. All her fault.

Dino never thought it would come to this. 

That he would be standing at the foot of the Citadel in the rain, looking up at the dark gleam of the silver-and-black tower representing the Crown City's stronghold. Yet despite it's intimidating exterior, Dino knows deep inside the heart there lies a young man. Probably doped up to the brain on pain killers, with lines of fluids running through his veins as diligent nurses, doctors and guards keep watch on him.

He knows the King is probably furious, pacing circles in his study or in the medical wing itself, and the Prince's retainers - Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto - are probably beside him, or in their own areas, desperately trying to plan out a way to strike back at Noctis' assailants.

The headline went out two days ago, screamed in bold black ink.  ** _Crown Prince Assaulted._** A group of ill-tempered hunters angry that the Prince stole one of their kills, apparently, and decided to put "the pretty little highness" in his place. They were strong enough, and many enough, to stop the three retainers from coming to Noctis' aid.

Dino read the headline, and he hasn't stopped since red since then. 

When he first met the "royal problem child", as his  _madre_ would often tell of it, he hadn't been impressed. Here was a wet-behind-the-ears punk who had a silver spoon lodged firmly in both mouth and ass, whining about his boat not being there to carry him across the seas, where he would meet an equally silver-spooned lady, and they would doubtless produce many silver-spoon children together. 

His threat to His Royal Highness had been a threat, and not. After all, there were far worse things he could do to little Noct than sic a bunch of paps on him. He'd expected the group to take off, and not come back - and certainly not with that stone Dino had asked for, of all things.

Countless challenges between them later, and the Ghiranze blood in him was shouting loud and clear - Noctis Lucis Caelum was worth his time and trust. 

 _He was loyal._ Almost terrifyingly so. Him and his boys were making a lot of noise for themselves - taking on hunts and cutting down monsters all over the countryside, helping people on the roadside, rescuing lost or injured hunters. Things no ordinary Prince would dare to do. They'd never dirty their hands, never roll around in the mud looking for  _frogs,_ no matter who they were speaking with. And they'd certainly never go tearing down a highway in the middle of the night for a hospital run when the knife-wielding adviser ended up with a case of pneumonia.

Dino's followed Noctis throughout his entire adventure, never putting aside the face of the bored-out-of-his-skull columnist or the eager gem seeker. He and Noctis have developed something of a rapport, or at the very least, an understanding. Dino doesn't cut gems for just anyone - and that's the whole backbone to this. His jewels go to  _his boys_ \- the ones he would burn the world to keep breathing.

Now, one of his boys is in a hospital bed, and three of his other ones are probably traumatized, scared, and lookin' to get even.

The Ghiranze  _famiglia_ might be underground, but that don't mean shit where Dino's concerned. His  _madre_ has let him run from his blood - let him quietly roam until he feels the calling in him, ready for him to seat himself. She's held down the fort when his old man died, and his mother before him. 

Now though, Dino is ready. Which is why he's here, dressed not in his casual garb, but in the clothing of the Ghiranze  _famiglia._ Dino is going to bend knee to the Prince, who has in turn already bent knee to his people. 

And then, Dino is going to reach out with his  _considerable power,_ and rip those  _vermin_ that touched what was  _his_ off the face of fucking Eos. 

He takes in a deep breath, and starts up the stairs. He knows the Glaives hiding in the shadows will see him - will know who he is. He won't be allowed to go to Noctis, but will instead be taken to Regis. And if Regis sees him out? Well, then he'll be cut in front of himself a little, and take out the problem, and leave behind a  _very clear message._

And  _then_ he will find Noctis, and make him understand what kind of monster now lurks behind him, ready to rend the world on his orders.

He doesn't even make it to the top before the Glaives are on him - they're not gentle, that's for sure. But he doesn't fight, even when they yank and pull and tug him around like he's a goddamned doll. He keeps his expression serene as he speaks. "Evening, lads. Mind takin' me to Prince Noctis? He and I have things to discuss."

"Like hell," one of the Glaives spits. "Nyx, get Leonis on the line."

"No need," a new voice says. The Marshall is standing at the top of the stairs where he wasn't a moment before, staring down at Dino with something like surprise, and suspicion. "It's been an awful long time since the Ghiranze have come out of hiding. And yours isn't a face I recognize."

"The Ghiranze would speak with Crown Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum," Dino says, his voice ringing clear in the quiet. "We offer no hostilities to Him."

The same Glaive from before snorts. "Yeah, right. Like the underground mafia of Altissia is--"

"We have come to offer our loyalties to Him," Dino says, cutting the Glaive off. "And to pay our respects by hunting down those who have harmed Him."

The silence is heavy now. Thicker than Dino's ever felt. But he's never flinched back at the compound, when his  _madre_ stood before him and demanded answers. He won't flinch before Leonis and his Glaives, demanding the truth.

Leonis stares at him hard for a long time. And then he puts fingers to his ear. "Well?" he asks whoever has been listening to the conversation. 

There's another long silence. And then Leonis' lips thin, and he nods sharply. "Very well. Nyx, escort Ghiranze to Noctis' bed. The rest of you, fall in."

Nyx is the tallest Glaive, and he keeps one hand on Dino's shoulder as they walk in a firm, no-nonsense grip.

Inside, he finds King Regis and his Shield standing before the doors of the hospital, watching them. The air around Regis is sparking, his eyes tinged a bright, violent purple. His Shield looks equally hostile, but Dino does not flinch in the face of it. 

Instead, he bows his head. "We assume the Lucis Caelum would judge Our worth?"

In answer, Regis holds out the hand with the Ring of Lucii on it, glowing as purple as his eyes. As soon as Dino sets eyes on it, he feels  _something_ in his head. A tangible weight, like a daemon climbing inside him, scrambling around with too-sharp claws and teeth, ready to rend him if he moves wrong. He waits as the foreign presence searches, and finds what it came for. When it withdraws, he raises himself out of the bow.

Regis' eyes are shut as he listens to whatever it is the Ring tells him. When he opens his eyes, they're no longer tinged with violet light. "Stand down," he says quietly, and then steps aside. "Mind your manners, Ghiranze. My son is in considerable pain."

He bows his head again in silent understanding, and Regis and Clarus open the doors for him. They do not follow him inside, nor does Nyx. 

Inside, the hospital is quiet. There's only one bed occupied, and it's surrounded by curtains, and guarded by a pair of nurses. As he moves closer, they look up.

"Ghiranze. We were told to expect you." One of the nurses pulls the curtain back. "If anything happens to him, you won't leave here alive."

"We understand," he says, and bows to them as well. Grace, patience, and understanding. He steps past the curtain, and finds Noctis awake, though looking drowsy. He starts badly when Dino steps in, and stares at him as if he doesn't understand. Dino doesn't bother with the chair, instead kneeling beside the bed on one knee, and waiting for the connection to be made. 

Noctis looks bad. Pale, waxy skin, bruises and cuts. And that's only what he can  _see._

"Ghiranze?" Noctis breathes at last. He sounds tired. Not surprised. "I should have known. You were too flamboyant to be anyone else. And the speech..."

Dino says nothing as Noctis mutters to himself, waiting until he's done. "Why are you here?" Noctis asks.

"We would vow fealty to you."

Noctis, in the process of reaching for a glass of water, knocks it off it's perch as he startles, and then curses loudly as it hits the ground and shatters, water splashing out. It spreads out to where Dino is kneeling, coating his pants. He doesn't get up. 

"You're just talking about  _you,_ right?"

Dino looks up now. "The Ghiranze would vow fealty to Noctis Lucis Caelum."

What little color is in those normally pale cheeks flees, blue eyes going wide. " _Why?_ " 

"Because We know you are loyal, and honest, and worth Our attentions."

"I'm not! I'm-- I'm the blue-blood Prince--"

"You take care of your people," Dino interrupts firmly. "We have seen it with Our own eyes. We have heard of all you have done across the wider world. You travel, you help, no matter the size of the job. You hunt what needs hunting. You save those that need it. You are worthy."

Noctis raises a hand to fiddle with his hair, drops them into his lap, and twines them together. Nervous ticks, the movements. "I don't... you can do better. And I don't--"

"They hurt you. We would see it equalized."

Noctis swallows. "It's just... a few bruises. A cut, here and there. Not worth your attention."

But his eyes skitter sideways as he says it, and his legs draw up unconsciously closer to his body. Dino feels his blood burn, and has to close his eyes to keep from raging. 

_Don't make a liar out of yourself, Prince._ _You know that's not all they got away with._

"We would vow our fealty to you," he says again, slower this time. Quieter. "Would you accept Us?"

Noctis says nothing for a time, staring instead at the curtains alongside his bed. Dino remains where he is, watching his reflection in the puddle beneath his knee. He's immaculately groomed - perfect. But even chewed up as he is, Noctis looks better. More regal. 

He sees Noctis heave in a deep breath, like he's fixing to take a plunge. "We would accept Your aid," Noctis says, turning slowly to him, and offering out his hands like he's afraid he's going to get bitten. "The Lucis Caelums will stand aside the Ghiranze in all things, in turn."

He's turning it right around, paying loyalty back with loyalty. Dino feels his heart swell, and lifts his head, taking Noctis's hands in his own. "May We?"

Noctis nods, lifting himself a bit straighter as Dino puts one hand over his own heart, and lets the other slide to his forearm in a firm grip. He mimics the posture on Noctis, and lets the words flow off his tongue. "We the Ghiranze do offer in loyalty Our bodies, Our hearts, Our souls to the Lucis Caelums. We vow to stand by Them always, from birth until death, and in death may We guard them as true as We do in life. In fealty we vow, in honor we vow, in trust we vow."

"In solidarity do the Lucis Caelums accept this offer of loyalty. We vow to hold true the bodies, hearts, and souls of the Ghiranze for as long as We would walk this land. We offer ourselves in turn to the Ghiranze, and would walk with Them in death and beyond, for as long as Bahamut's great wheel turns. In solidarity do we honor this vow, in solidarity do we trust this vow."

Dino feels the full weight of the Lucis Caleum magic come rushing at him, and feels the Ghiranze family magics rush to meet it. The collision has him hissing between his teeth and Noctis gasping, but they don't let go. He feels his flesh beneath Noctis' hand sear as the brand takes, and while it feels like an eternity, it ends almost as fast as it started. 

When he pulls away, the crest of the  _famiglia_ Ghiranze lays on Noctis' bare forearm, and the crest of the Lucis Caelums sits on Dino's own forearm. Now as the Amicitia and Scientia are, so too are the Ghiranze.

The curtain is swept aside a moment later, and King Regis stands there, firm and resolute. He looks Dino in the eye, and nods. "Tell me how you intend to find the men that hurt my son when even my Glaives have had no luck."

Dino feels the twinge of the brand on his arm as he moves, and chuckles darkly. 

"Our roots run long, Highness. Just tell me what you want done with 'em, and they'll be in your hands before sunset tonight."


End file.
